In Kupsky Application Ser. No. 492,994, filed July 30, 1974 now U.S. Pat. No. 3,944,868, issued Mar. 16, 1976 (incorporated herein by reference), there is disclosed an apparatus and system for carrying the leads of the anode electrodes to contact pads on the cathode substrate. Selected ones of the contact pads are connected directly to the cathode electrodes on the cathode substrate with the remaining ones being connected by means of an extruded conductive silver epoxy to anode contact pads on the cathode substrate. In accordance with the present invention, the same extruded conductive silver epoxy connection is utilized to secure conductive metal inserts extending beyond the edge of the panel to provide solderable terminals with respect to an end use device, as, for example, a calculator circuit board.
The advantages of the invention are that positive connections are always assured with respect to the anode and cathode electrodes and the external supply of operating potentials to the display. Moreover, since in the preferred embodiment the substrates are inexpensive thin glass plates, the silver conductive epoxy makes a relatively good bond to the glass as well as to the conductive elements (tin oxide on the anode plate and silver conductors contact pads on the cathode plate) to which it is making connection on the substrate. This assures that the inserted metal extensions are uniformly and solidly secured in place in the panel thereby providing a good mounting device for such panels. At the same time, the use of a conductive silver epoxy with respect to these glass substrates assures that no excessive temperatures are required which would create temperature differentials as in the case of conventional soldering techniques. The contact pads may be on an extended or overhung edge with the metal extensions secured in place thereon by a non-conductive epoxy or other adhesive or a non-conductive clamp. In a modification the top or anode plate has its edge extended beyond the silver conductive epoxy connections, so the panel is universally mountable.